Chapter VI: The White Cat’s Story Ended

|I was placed in a cradle of mother-of-pearl, and carried to the palace by the garden where my mother had eaten the fruit. The dragon at once disappeared, and all went well in my father’s kingdom.

“The fairies gave me a room in a tower, and I had everything I could ask. Here I grew up. I knew nothing of my father or mother. The fairies came to see me, but they rode the dragon, and flew in at the window. You must know there was no door to the tower. There were windows, high up from the ground, and there was a garden upon the top of the tower.

“The fairies were very kind to me, and all went well. I played in the garden on the tower, and I had my birds and flowers. But one day I was sitting at one of the windows talking with my parrot, when I saw a fine-looking man below. He stood listening to the parrot and me.

“I never had seen a man except in pictures, and I was very glad to see this one. We spoke to each other through the window, and so it went on day after day. At last I thought I could not bear to live alone in the tower, and I planned to escape.

“I begged the fairies to bring me some cord and needles, to make a net with. There were birds flying about, and if I had a net I could catch one. They gave me these things, and I made a ladder which reached from my window to the ground.

“I meant to climb down the ladder, but before I could do so my lover had climbed up. He leaped in at my window. At first I was frightened, but then I was glad to have him with me. He gave me a picture of himself, but while we were talking the fairy Violent flew in at the window on the back of the dragon. She was in a great rage, and bade the dragon at once devour my lover.

“I tried to cast myself into the mouth of the dragon, for I no longer cared to live. But the fairy held me back, and said she had another punishment for me. She touched me with her wand, and I became at once a White Cat.

“She brought me to this palace, and gave me a troop of cats to wait on me. They were lords and ladies who had been turned into cats. The Hands were the hands of servants who could not be seen. Here I was to stay a cat until a prince should come who looked exactly like my lover, and who should cut off my head and my tail.

“My Prince, look at this picture. It is your exact image. You have saved me from the fairies, and I love you with all my heart.”

The Prince was overjoyed. He made haste to set out for his father’s palace with the beautiful princess. Again the brothers stood before the King, each with a beautiful princess. The King was now at his wit’s end, but the princess, who had lately been a White Cat, came forward and said:--

“O King, it is a thousand pities that you should give up your kingdom. You are not old. You are very wise, and ought to reign many years. I have six kingdoms. Let me give one to each of your two eldest sons. Then the youngest son and I will still have four kingdoms. More than all, you will not have to decide which of us three princesses is the most beautiful.” Everybody set up a shout. The three weddings took place at once, and the kingdoms were divided among the princes.

THE LION, THE ASS, AND THE FOX

|The Lion, the Ass, and the Fox made a bargain to hunt together. When they had caught a good supply of game, they came to eat it, and the Lion bade the Ass divide the spoils. So the Ass divided it into three equal parts, and called on each to choose his portion. At that the Lion fell into a rage, and made his supper off the Ass.

Then the Lion told the Fox to divide it, and he put almost all the game into one great heap for the Lion, and saved only a small bit for himself. Then the Lion said: “My good fellow, who taught you to divide so well?” And the Fox said: “That dead Ass there.”

THE JACKDAW AND THE DOVES

|A Jackdaw once looked into a dove-cote, and saw the Doves well fed and cared for; so he went away and daubed himself white, and then came back to make himself one of them. As long as he kept quiet they let him stay, thinking he was a Dove. But as soon as he opened his mouth to sing, they found out who he was, and drove him out of the dove-cote.

He, poor fellow, now went back to the Jackdaws. But they did not know him on account of his white coat, and would not let him join them.

And so, for wanting to get into two companies, he missed both.

This fable teaches that it is best for us to be content with our own kind. The greedy not only miss what they seek, but often lose what they have.

THE FOUR BULLS AND THE LION

|Four Bulls once agreed to live together, and they fed in the same pasture. Now the Lion saw them afar off, and wanted to hunt them, but he knew that he could not so long as they held together.

So he managed to set them quarreling with one another; and when that happened, they separated, and he easily mastered them one at a time.

THE COUNTRY MAID AND HER MILK-PAIL

|A Country Maid was walking slowly along with a pail of milk upon her head. She was saying to herself:--

“The money for which I shall sell this milk will buy me three hundred eggs. These eggs will produce at least two hundred and fifty chickens. The chickens will be fit to carry to market about Christmas, when poultry always brings a good price. By May-day I shall have money enough to buy a new gown. Let me see--green suits me; yes, it shall be green. In this dress I will go to the fair, where all the young fellows will want me for a partner. But I shall refuse every one of them.” By this time she was so full of her fancy that she tossed her head proudly. Over went the pail, and all the milk was spilled on the ground.

Moral. Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.

THE CAT, THE WEASEL, AND THE YOUNG RABBIT

|There was once a young Rabbit, a quiet, peace-loving Rabbit. He lived in a neat house, and made no trouble for any one. But one day he went to market to buy some parsley. A Weasel came slyly by and saw the little house. He slipped in and made himself at home. It was a good place to stay in, and there he meant to stay. By and by the Rabbit came home, and saw the Weasel at the window.

“Do you know that this is my house?” the Rabbit asked.

“Pooh, pooh!” said the Weasel, “what makes it yours? You only dug in the ground a little, and came in here where the earth was gone. Do you think you own the earth?”

“The law gives it to me,” said the Rabbit, “because I made it fit to live in. If you do not leave, I will call the police.”

“The law, indeed!” said the Weasel; “and what right has the law to give away land? But we will have no more words. We will lay the matter before the Cat, and leave it to him.”

“Very well,” said the young Rabbit, and they went to find the Cat,--an old, wise, and strong Cat.

“Come nearer, my children,” said the Cat, as they both began to talk at the same time. “I am very deaf; nearer, for I wish to hear every word.”

They came close to the Cat, each talking loudly. But as soon as the Cat had them within reach, he darted his claws out on each side, and held them both fast. First he made way with the young Rabbit, next with the Weasel; and then the house belonged to him.

THE TRAVELING MUSICIANS